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HMRC lost computer discs containing the details of 25 million child benefit claimants last year, followed by the loss by a DVLA contractor of millions of learner drivers' names.

Last week a disc marked "Home Office - confidential" turned up in a laptop purchased on eBay and taken into a computer shop near Bolton.

The new figures, disclosed in a series of written ministerial answers to the House of Commons, show that:

- The Department of Health has lost 151 laptops since 2001/2, including 15 in 2007;

- HM Revenue and Customs had 45 laptops reported stolen in 2007, including 16 in a break-in at an office, costing £43,000;

- The Ministry of Justice has had 136 laptops stolen, eight lost and another 26 described as "missing" since 2001. Some 170 have gone AWOL in total, including 40 in 2007;

- The Ministry of Defence has had 503 laptops stolen since 1998, including 68 in 2007. It has lost 23 PCs during the same time;

- The Treasury has had six laptops stolen in 2007;

- The Department of International Development has lost three and had 37 stolen since 2001, at a cost of £39,743;

- The Department of Communities and Local Government has lost 28 laptops since 2002/3, including eight in 2007/8. It has also lost five desktop PCs;

- The Department of Children, Schools and Families has had 84 laptops and four desktop computers reported lost since 2001/2;

- The Scotland Department lost one laptop in 1999/2000, the year it was set up;

- The Northern Ireland Office has had five laptops stolen since 2001, including two last year;

- The Office of the Leader of the House has reported one laptop stolen since June last year;

- The Department of the Environment had 18 laptops lost or stolen in 2007.

In total, at least 1,052 laptops have gone missing. However, the figures do not include the Home Office, Foreign Office, Department for Transport or Department for Business.

Following recent incidents, Cabinet Secretary Gus O'Donnell launched a review of procedures within departments and agencies for the storage and use of data.

In January he issued a blanket ban on Whitehall staff taking unencrypted laptops containing personal details from their offices.

Scottish National Party MP Mike Weir, who has been investigating the issue, said the figures were "mind-boggling" and called for an end to even encrypted information being taken off Government premises.

"It's quite clear that an awful lot of information is being carted around in Government laptops and the fact that so many are going missing is a real worry," Mr Weir, the SNP's business and enterprise spokesman, said.

"It's absolutely incredible that the Government hasn't taken action before now to ensure that laptops do not carry about information.

"You have to ask what other information has been lost. What we need to know is exactly how many have gone missing, what is on the laptops and why there has been no Government policy stopping people downloading information and taking it with them.

"This should have been addressed years ago - it's obviously not a new issue. This has been going on for years and no-one has done anything about it."

Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather called for an urgent review of how data was handled by the Government.

"The Labour Government has a history of disgraceful recklessness with our data," she said.

"If these laptops contained personal information on members of the public then the Government need to own up.

"It is shocking that the Government is losing expensive electronic equipment year on year with taxpayers footing the bill.

"We urgently need a complete rethink on the way electronic data is protected."